Providence Properties keep students money in Leeds

As a landlord myself I’m very interested in the property industry and very keen to hear about news relating to the letting industry, and the news I just saw on BBC 1’s Watchdog about Providence Properties in Leeds was quite shocking. It seems that Providence Properties have been withholding deposits from students in Leeds, refusing to give them back, despite court orders against Tariq Zaman to the contrary.

Through the letting agent Tariq Zaman, the property company have been keeping thousands of pounds in deposits from students, even though the courts have ruled in favour of the students and issued CCJs against Tariq Zaman.

This is theft, but Tariq Zaman didn’t seem to care when he was filmed on Watchdog proudly boasting how he had loads of CCJs, and that they were worthless.

It would seem that they are indeed worthless, as despite being ordered to return the money he had no intention of doing so.

This is worrying for any students looking for flats to rent in Leeds as it seems unlikely they’ll get their deposits back if they use Providence Properties.

The real worrying thing is that students who paid money to Providence Properties were asked to pay the money to Providence Lettings, who they were then told by Providence Properties were nothing to do with them when it came to get their money back.

Providence Properties, or Providence Lets it would seem (who are a different company according to the film on Watchdog) are keeping the students money and don’t seem to care about it. Anyone looking for a property in Leeds should give them a very wide berth if the news on Watchdog is anything to go by.

Has anyone had any dealings with them while looking for residence in Leeds?

Darren Jamieson, aka MrDaz, is the Technical Director and co-founder of Engage Web and has been working online in a career spanning two decades. His first website was built in 1998 and is still live today.

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30 thoughts on “Providence Properties keep students money in Leeds”

I haven’t, fortunately, but this issue has been recurrent in the Leeds University student newspaper so many times now.

It doesn’t seem to matter how often the courts make their injunctions, or how often students march around in circles with banners saying how rubbish Providence is, this joker still giggles all the way to the bank every new semester.

We all know Landlords and agents, particularly those who deal with student lettings are notoriously slow at returning deposits, if they even return them at all. Notwithstanding the fact that there are of course a tiny minority students, who for reasons only known to themselves, decide to smear shit up the walls of their abode – this case does seem rather alarming.

Hopefully this Watchdog expose and an almost certain first page listing for “Providence Properties” on this blog should put the wind up them.

I’ve had dealings with Student landlords in Manchester they have always paid up but you have to put in the effort to get the money back. It doesn’t surprise to hear about Providence Properties keeping the money.

We live in a Providence Properties-run flat and we have recently been burgled. Part of the reason for this is that the front door of the whole building doesn’t shut properly on its own; they are aware of this because they have put a sign up on the door to say so. Another part of the reason is also that the locks on the door to our flat itself aren’t properly functional, which we made them aware of in writing shortly after moving in. When we rang to tell them about the burglary, they told us it was nothing to do with them and we should contact the owner of the house directly, but wouldn’t give us her contact details. Incidentally the owner of the house is Mr Zaman’s sister. When we rang up again they said they believed we had caused the damage that the burglar made getting in ourselves and were lying about being burgled. We then wrote a lengthy letter to the owner of the house (we do have her postal address thankfully), setting forth our demands for improved security, and copied it to Providence Properties. After they received the letter (and the day after the Watchdog programme) someone rang us and apologised and have said they will come round to improve the security on the flat door but that door closers don’t exist which will make the front door of the building close properly because it is a large Victorian door. Which is obviously the biggest load of crap you’ve ever heard. So we are preparing to go head to head with them and it seems like it would be a good idea for anyone who is renting with them to take the amount of the deposit out of the last month’s rent. And if you are not already renting from them, never ever do!

Stella i have suffered just the same way as you are, i was in a property that belonged to they sister shafia begum, after i left they property they used my personal information to guy goods on my name, that i have reported to the Police and they are still looking into this matter, Stella join the Providence Victim form.
they are evil robbing scum of earth who have no self respect, they are SHAMLESS
If providence are reading this as i am sure they will be, my message to you is that you are a low life scum bags with no self respect, low breed of society

To follow up to my post above, and in response to Sam26, I feel like I need to say it was not fair of me to implicate my landlady alongside Providence Properties. Although nothing I said was untrue, it is a bit too early to ‘tar her with the same brush.’ I don’t think it is the same person you rented from, her name is not Shafia Begum, and to be fair to her she was on holiday when all of this happened (of course, Providence didn’t tell us that!) and she has now been in touch with us to say that she is no longer using Providence Properties as her letting agent and that she intends to have the repairs and upgrades to security that we’ve requested completed early next week. I am hopeful that this will be done as quickly as possible and that from here on out we will have a much better experience dealing with the landlady and not the lettings agent. I’ll try to post an update.

Just to add few of my commets about Providence Properties and mr T Zaman,s family, I personly know that family, thay all are crooks , no respect for other peoples, very selfish and greedy peoples, name you have to remeber when you rent properties in Leeds 6 headingly are, Tariq, Khalid, Basharat, Azeem,Shaida Zaman. they are all brothers and sister, and Mr Shabir and one of another business collgues, beware fo all these names, I hope we all together get them out of business, These peoples are burdon on the society, and better of without them, they don’t care how they make money out of people. thanks`

Thanks for your reply Stella but do be careful as most of the landlords/landlady’s are related to providence properties, my experience with them was a nightmare hell and back, and i feel for people who have had dealings with them or are dealing with them now.
do make sure that your gas and electric is safe, because in my case both were below health and safety standards

I’m a reporter and have had so many complaints about this company. The police refuse to get involved as they say it’s a civil matter. Surely this is theft, pure and simple, and should be treated as a crime. Let’s hope MyHomez get shut down before they scam anyone else.

I was a tenant/customer of Providence from July2007 to June 2008 and they have acted as expected by fobbing me off with the “Providence Lets” excuse. I’m currently seeking to settle the dispute with legal advice but am making little headway. It is disheartening to hear that even CCJs don’t help when it comes to the directors of Providence but I’ll keep plugging away.

These people are thieves pure and simple, don’t use them whatever you do. They were appalling landlords and have witheld the deposits on a flat that was rented from them and returned in a much cleaner state than it was at the start of the tenancy. After seeing the Watchdog programme and Tariq Zaman’s response I am even more determined to get my money back.

reading about this, i realise that i’m not the only 1 that has been a victim to this family. the fat ugly chap, who’s throwing the cameraman out… what can i say, the whole family thinks they are above the law. worst is they do not no self shame, the family including parents, brothers & sisters. do honestly think they are above the law. i am happy that watchdog has become in involved. as I DO HAVE HOME ADDRESSES of the ugly fat chap & all the rest of their family properties, supposedly family properties which were all using providence to scam the students. Its something the entire family’s knew. Now playing dumb, & blaming it on each other. It is not fair to be decieved by these so called letting agents. They are also running MYHOMEZ which is on Cardigan Rd. as i saw them on Thursday Night around 10:30. secretly but i’d call it cowerdly, moving their providence office furniture to a house on gyll rd, and Chestnut Avenue. This is the parents home of the ugly fat chap!!! unloading it into the cellers of this house & storing it in garage gyll rd. there should be more the police can do about this. these people do have keys to your letted home, and are know to steal your belongings. it easy money for them, Yes i do have lots of information. but scared to face them in any legal matters! when my plasma t.v which was gifted to me was noticed on Providence office wall a few years back, after having it burgled… the police did get it back to me thankfully. but i do not think any conviction took place as described “they are above the law” that’s in any matter.Cowards. Especially the ugly fat chap throwing that innocent cammeraman out!

THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS! OTHER THAN THE PROVIDENCE PROPERTIES, NO PROVIDENCE LETS! IT WAS A SCAM IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE. YES I DO KNOW THAT THEY OWN MYHOMEZ THE CARS ARE VINYLED SIMILAR & ARE DONE BY A COMPANY IN BRADFORD. THE GUY IN THE WATCHDOG VIDEO WHO’S THROWING THE CAMERAMAN OUT OF HIS OFFICE IS THE GUY WHO GOT THE CARS VINYLED ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER WHO POSES ABOUT IN THAT DISCUSTING BLACK LEXUS. SO NOW THEY HAVE TAKEN THE VINYL STICKERS OFF THE PROVIDENCE CARS, BUT MY HOMEZ IS STILL GOING ON. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE MONEY BY SCAMING US STUDENTS! ALL I CAN SAY IS MAYBE THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW!

i too have been robbed by these jokers, i/m in the process of taking legal action. my money was lent to me & my sister we both rented a room each in a house owned by Ishaq( the man throwing the watchdog out of HIS office) well he even gave us a lift to the bank in his swanky (Paid by us) VW Sharan (P2 OVD) reg. We both gave our money to him in HIS office. so why should he fob us off, how much of us gave the money to him? in HIS office. not prrovidence lets, who do not even exsist! Scum have no shame at all. I do hope that watchdog shame will keep them out of business. Police are no good to us in this matter as i did make a statement at weetwood police station against Mr Ishaq (don’t know what happened with the statement as i never heard from the police again) Have they bought the Law? doesn’t anyone know where these people live??? I’M SURE MY TWO BIG BROTHERS FROM SOUTH WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PAYING THEM A VISIT!

same here been done by these bastards too, and yes that same fat ugly chap in the office was the 1 who took our money, his brother gave me a lift too, to the bank lol. now i know i’m not the only 1! we should all have hope in watchdog. i am also aware of the other company myhomez yes its owned and managed by the same bastard family! good luck to thier future, its a great shame to know that even the parents have been living off us students! about time they were put to shame.
they were rude aragont bastards who i believe would make more putting the wives & sisters in brothels. they will carry on making money. is it rue that fat ugly chap has many sisters! who are all fraudsters? living off the goverment benefits, and robbing us too!

I am working on behalf of a local news team, we are putting together a story which will both further incriminate the My Homez/ Providence Properties letting agents, as well as provide legal advice for those who are wanting to get their money back. I am planning something quite big in the next few days and I need the support of everyone who is involved, whether you have any information regarding the identities of those involved, any experiences, I need all this information in order to put together a strong piece of news. The Watchdog story was good in that it revealed the identity of Tariq Zaman, as well as proving providence prop’s and providence lets are the same people. But it didn’t really help any of these tennants get their money back, this is what I want to do, whilst also increasing awareness about these people so that no one else can get scammed.

Can everyone who wants to help please email me today so I can get this organised and hopefully help everyone involved and bring these fraudsters to justice. If you could email me telling me your story, and if you are willing to be interviewed, (we can blur out any identities and do voice-over if you are worried about disclosure).

After you left your beautiful rented property, and handed all your paid bills “like gas electric bills over to providence and other details that are personal, like date of birth, mothers maiden name etc, did you think it was all over? well NO them bastards (Providence Properties) are going to use your details to get loans on your names get Mobil phones on your names, that’s because they hold your personal details!

(Get a credit check done, and if you suspect fraud that’s been done on your name, then you know who it is Providence Properties
Good Luck

Get them Shameless Bastards

it will cost you no more then £3.00 to find out the history who’s applied for any loans or goods on your name

threats are the main thing these scum can give, i went to get my ddeposit back & was slated with remarks, they were rude & do not have repect for others, i read your comments & i feel more confident to get my money back 300 for deposit & 420 for my laptop, mp4 player & notebook which i’d left in their office (PROVIDENCE PROPERTIES) these items were all in my laptop bag, unfortuantly these items were not there when i had gone back a few hours later. The man sat on his chair(FAT FUCK ISHAQ) said that maybe some other students had taken them, i believed it & asked to view the cctv, which they do have at their office! he replied (THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IT!) funny really, because he doesn’t have access to US STUDENTS DEPOSITS…. wonder if he’s got access to his WIFE lol 🙂 THIEVING BASTARDS!

Look at these:http://www.myhomez.co.uk/testimonials.asp
Quite obviously fake. The company is new yet it has people paying them
compliments over the years. Yeah right.
I hope other people don’t fall for this deception. Its all made up by Providence Properties

Ha i like it… full of shit, these guys sure are JOKERS!!!LOL sam26 thanks for this bit of information, what a laugh i’ve had!
These guys are trying to save they’re arses, which are not only exposed on Watchdog & Various Blogs but very soon throughout Leeds.
There are excellent Letting Agencies & Have been established longer than These jokers.

The problem that many of us students are having, is that these scums are fooling our Legal System, You see… Judges (Most Not All) think students are throwing wild parties and wrecking things which Mr Tariq Zaman & Mr Ishaq have to replace. So we are getting a bad referance from here. Its a great SHAME that this happens. What does Mr T & Mr I have to say about the students who do clean the place WITH HELP FROM PARENTS? Providence are a Scam, & that is the truth, so many of us have been Scamed, most did not know the ” rights of students” in these circumstances. Some comments that you may have read recently are that they are a nice company friendly staff etc! WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS! Mr Ishaq was friendly to my housemate who was a very sexy looking student I Wonder WhyEh? some students do carry on & spoil properties, BUT NOT US ALL!
I paid all my bills in cash to Providence, I even remember the little scum that i handed my cash to for BILLS! Haroon was his name (LITTLE GAY BOY) with the weird Haircut! know who I mean? well guess what he’d put the money into his trouser back pocket, he’d said that it’s” sorted “(EXACT WORD), that was the last i saw of it. I’ve got my degree & returned to my family home in Newcastle! Guess what followed by unpaid Bills from Providence, wait a sec… followed by a threatning phone call from my landlord (Ishaq’s Dad) who told me to pay! GOBSMACKED i rang providence & explained what had happend, they were no longer interested & told me not to contact them again & to pay the bills or else!
THIS IS WHAT I GOT FROM PROVIDENCE, the saying “trust in providence” LOL.
All i can say that GOOD LUCK to you all who are innocent students who have been SCAMED.
Is myhomez really theirs? and is it still open? i see that providence had shut down!
Please do reply?
these are really low life scums who i’d thought i was the victim of!

they were all laughing about it when they moved into new location (Myhomez) thinking how easy it is to change name and location, But they did not know poeples voice is very strong, we all together can beat them, They are low life, lawless, heartless scums,
Beware of another name Khalid Zaman, He is doing all the work behind, Ishaq is one of their best friend, I got nothing against them but what they do, they have no shame the way they fiddle with law and make money from helpless needy peoples, better off without Myhomez and providance, Remember the name Mr Zaman and all the properties on Manor Drive leeds 6, thats where they also live, cheers

they were all laughing about it when they moved into new location (Myhomez) thinking how easy it is to change name and location, But they did not know poeples voice is very strong, we all together can beat them, They are low life, lawless, heartless scums,
Beware of another name Khalid Zaman, He is doing all the work behind, Ishaq is one of their best friend and business patner , I got nothing against them but what they do, They have no shame the way they fiddle with law and make money from helpless needy peoples, better off without Myhomez and providance, Remember the name Mr Zaman and most the properties on Manor Drive leeds 6, when you rent in that area. thats where they also live, cheers